Search This Blog

About Me

My photo
I created my Squirrel Garden when I lost my job due to disability. I really enjoyed watching the animals in my yard and decided I wanted to create a sustainable habitat for them. I began studying the Squirrels to learn what they eat, what I could grow for them and how I might enrich their lives. The "garden" grew even if my ability to grow plants didn't. I began watching the birds and learning to identify them by sight and sound. I decided to put up trail cameras and share online about the animals in my yard. I soon found out there was as much activity at night as there was in the daytime! The animals gained a following online and then one spring day, I found a deceased female. She didn't have any signs of being a mother, so I didn't look for a nest. Six days later I found a deceased baby under a nest. I ran and got my neighbor and he climbed up and found one more barely clinging to life. That was what sparked the beginning of what would become the Squirrel Garden Rescue and Rehab, opening Spring of 2025.

Current Resident(s)


Fall Babies Came Early 2026

We started getting calls for pinkies on July 3.  What followed was an extremely busy and challenging season in the rehab.

Humphrey






Humphrey was almost a week old when he was found in a dog run in Boone.

Rufus



Rufus was 3 weeks old when he was found under a tree in Des Moines the same day as Humphrey.

Beatrice




Beatrice was almost 4 weeks old when she was found under a tree in Des Moines. I call her Queen Bea because even though she is oddly the only female in the rehab this season, she rules the roost! I've tried to pair her with different guys and she usually plays about 15 minutes and then she is tired of it and leaves them cowering in the corner.

Nutter Butter



Nutter Butter was retrieved and brought home by a family dog in Boone when he was 4 weeks old. Nutter Butter and Willy have met and played, though they are caged separately.

William the Wooly Mammoth






Willy Mammoth (for short) was found in Ames after a torrential downpour.  He was at the base of a tree in someone's back yard. He had a subluxation of the AA joint in his neck and was experiencing neurological symptoms. He is the eldest in the rehab and after a few days of physical therapy he had full range of motion in his neck again and the neurological symptoms had disappeared.  

Chip




Chip and his sibling were found in Fontanelle when they were about three weeks old. His sibling didn’t survive, and Chip arrived in very poor condition. The people who found them tried their best, but baby squirrels have extremely specialized needs and can decline quickly without proper care. With intensive rehab, Chip made a full recovery and is now a happy, healthy squirrel.

If you ever find a baby squirrel, please contact a licensed rehabber right away. Even well‑intentioned home care can accidentally cause suffering, and early intervention gives them the best chance to survive.


Send Snacks




No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)